Rushing Fall’s Swan Song Comes on Familiar Ground in Maker’s Mark Filly & Mare Turf

Photo Courtesy of Eclipse Sportswire

Courtesy of Curtis Kalleward of the Racing Dudes

e Five Racing Thoroughbreds’ Rushing Fall will make her swan song on familiar ground after drawing post 6 and being made the 5/2 morning line favorite in the $2 million Breeders’ Cup Maker’s Mark Filly & Mare Turf (G1) at Keeneland on Saturday, November 7.

Affectionately known as the “Turf Rocket” by her sizeable following, Rushing Fall returns to the World Championships weekend for the first time since 2017, when the Chad Brown trainee won the 2017 Juvenile Fillies Turf (G1) at Del Mar. This past July, she joined 3-time Breeders’ Cup champion Beholder as only the second horse ever to win at least one American Grade 1 event at ages 2, 3, 4, and 5 when she took home the Jenny Wiley Stakes. That marked her fifth victory from 6 total trips over the Keeneland lawn, so expect a strong effort as she makes her final career start.

Rushing Fall, however, is just 1 of 4 entries from the Brown barn hoping to give the trainer his fifth victory in this event. The 2018 champion Sistercharlie is also gunning to end her stellar career with a win, something that has eluded her in the past 13 months. Sistercharlie drew post 2 and was named the 6/1 third choice on the morning line.

Sistercharlie’s younger half-sibling (and fellow Brown trainee) My Sister Nat drew post 5 and was made a longer shot at 12/1, though her odds are not as long as the fourth barnmate headed to the gate. Nay Lady Nay, on the outside looking in after last week’s pre-entries, was given 20/1 odds and assigned post 13. They most recently finished second and third, respectively, in the Flower Bowl Stakes (G1).

Mean Mary will be out for revenge as she breaks from post 4 as the 7/2 second choice on the morning line. Her 4-race win streak was snapped last time out when she failed to hold off Rushing Fall late in the Diana Stakes (G1). Among his 4 Breeders’ Cup wins, trainer Graham Motion won this event in 2010 with Shared Account and most recently captured the 2019 Juvenile Fillies Turf with her daughter, Sharing.

Fourth on the morning line at 8/1 is Cayenne Pepper, the shortest price of the 4 European-based runners entered in the Maker’s Mark Filly & Mare Turf. The Irish-bred Jessica Harrington trainee has missed the exacta just once in 8 career starts and exits a last-out 4-length score in the Blandford Stakes (G2) at Curragh, but she must overcome the far outside post position (14) in her American racing debut.

Other European-based entries include the 2020 Irish Guineas (G1) champion #3 Peaceful (12/1) for Aidan O’Brien; recent Prix Jean Romanet (G1) winner #11 Audarya (12/1) for James Fanshawe; and multiple Group 2 winner #7 Terebellum (20/1) for John Gosden.

Rounding out the field: the 19-race winner #1 Starship Jubilee (10/1) for Kevin Attard; gate-to-wire Rodeo Drive Stakes (G1) victor #8 Mucho Unusual for Tim Yakteen; local QEII Cup Stakes (G1) champion #9 Harvey’s Lil Goil (20/1) for Bill Mott; Flower Bowl winner #10 Civil Union (12/1) for Shug McGaughey; and the 2019 American Oaks (G1) champion #12 Lady Prancealot (30/1) for Richard Baltas.

For more coverage of the Breeders’ Cup, head over to racingdudes.com.